Axle for motor vehicles



i 1,512,402 .R. J. BURROWS AX'LE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed July 12.61919 2 sheets-sheet. 2 l

Patented Oct. 21,l 1924.

` UNITED s-TArEs v"PATENP OFFICE.

. ROBERT J. BUnRows, orY BUCHANAN, MICHTGAN, AssreNoa Tof CLARK EQUIPMENT COMPANY, or BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, AconronATroNoE MTCHIGAN.

AxLE non Moron VEHicLEs.

i Applicationled July 12, v1919. Serial INC. 310,427.A

My invention relates to. axles formotor'- vehicles, and has particularly todo with devices for adjusting-,the differential Vgearing to take up any-looseness due to wear. It has".

for its primary object to provide improved Vmeans for making such adjustment' and securing the parts in their adjusted position.

Y ings and as hereinafter described. What 1 1 Fig. 4 is an enlarfed A'further object is to provide improved means for supporting the differential housing in an axle of the type employing a-dead axle member which carries thev wheels, and

jack shafts for transmitting power from thev differential gearing to the wheels, arranged 'and adapted for-use in combination with` such improved adjusting devices. I accomplish these objects as illustrated in the drawmotor vehicle embodying my improvements,

some parts being in section;

Fig.- 2 is a perspective vie-w of'a collar by gearing is adjusted;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of apgland carried bythe collar shown'in Fig.- 2;

T g partialvertical crosssection on line 4 4 of Fig. 1; and f Fig. 5 is a 4vertical section ksubstantially on line' 5 5.. of Fig. 4. i f In thel illustrated embodiment of Inyin- Y,venti0n, 6 indicates thedead axlemember which is provided at its ends withv the usual Wheel spindles on which arey mounted'the `vevhicle wheels 7 one of whichis shown in Fig.

at one end only thereof need be shown and described. 8 indicates the differential hous- *ing' which is supported by the dead axle member 6over thecentral portion thereof,

and is securely connected. therewith .by -means yof VVbrackets 9,' the construction i of which is best yshowny in Figs. il Vand 4. Ae therein shown, said'brackets are principally*AY f abossf22 carriedV by the hub 17, said pin beannular in form, and are provided with pedestals 11 which fit upon` laterally-projecting lugs 12 carried by the dead axle member`V 6, as shown inFig. 1, so 'that they may beV Vfirmly secured thereto byvbolts 13. The an-` roller or other anti-friction Vbearings 16 in which are fitted endwise movable sleeves 16L through whichthe jack vshafts extend, which sleevesl engagethe outer endsV ofthe hubs .)f the gears 15as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will be'apparent, therefore, that by moving the sleeves 16a inwardly,"theYK gears 15 may be moved `in the `same direction I q to take up wear with the coacting gears-of the differential mechanism. As shown in Figs. 1 and v5, the'dift'erential housingrS iskprovided at its :opposite ends with annular flanges or hubs 1'( which are concentric with the axes of the jack shafts 14' and extend through the annular portions of the brack- V VV-`ets 9. kEach ofthese hubs `is internally thev adjustment of which` the differentialA screw-threaded, vas vshowniny Fig. 5 to receive an adjusting collar 18, which `is exten.

nally` threaded to screw into it and is pro vided with outwardly-projecting radial lugs `19 spaced a short distance apart, asshown -in\Fig. 4. 20 indicates a locking pin,.the

inner end of which is iitted'in a socket 21 ,in

ing secured `in said socket by a transverse .cotterpin 23vwhich extends through the boss 22 and through said nin,v asshown in Figs. l

4.and 5. The outer end of the pin 2O is n adapted tofit between adjacent' lugs 19, Vvas 1.1 It will be Vunderstood that'the end 'portions of the axle are alike, so that the parts' vthe cotter pin 23, the pin 20may easily, be

removed, thereby releasing I the Y collarV 118'VV so Vthat itmay be screwedjin or out, as desired.

24 indicates a ball bearing interposed be- Y tween the inner endof the collar`18land` the outer end of the sleeve 16s. Bo-ththe'sleeve 16L Aand. the bearing 24 are movable longitudinallyof 'the jack shaft 14, and therefore it will be apparent that by screwing. in the collar 18 the bearing 24e and sleeve l@ may margin which are adapted to be engaged by a radially-disposed pin 29 carried by the collar 18, as shown in Fig. 5. rlhis pin serves to lock the gland 52,7r in its different positions of adjustment.

The outer end portions of the ack shafts 14 extend through bearing boxes or housings S0 secured upon the outer end portions of the dead axle member 6 adjacent to the wheel spindles, and at their outer endssaid jack shafts carry spur pinions 31 which mesh with driving gears 32 carried by the wheels 7. The bearing housings 30 are pro- Vvided with anti-friction bearings for the outer end .portions of the jack shafts, and

with means for lubricating said hearings, preferably constructed as shown and described in my application for patent of even date herewith, Serial No. 310,426, and alsov with intermediate bearings constructed and arranged as described in my application for patent' of even date herewith, Serial No.

310,425. The bearings Vat the outer end portions of the jack shafts are arranged to permit said j ack shafts to be moved inwardly suiiiciently to taire up any wear von the differential gearing when the collars 18 are adjusted for that purpose.

By the construction.described, the collars 18 are very securely locked in position, but

may readily be released when it is desired to adjust them,and owing to the construction of the brackets 9 said collars are always readily accessible.

That I claim as my invention and desire` to secure by Letters Patent, is-. Y

1. A motor vehicle axle comprising a dead axle member, jack-shafts associated there-V with and having driving pinions at their outer end portions, a differential housing mounted on said dead axle member, differential gearing in said housing comprising gears mounted on the inner end portions of said jack-shafts, bearings in said housing for said jack-shafts, slee-ves movable endwise in said bearings independently thereof to Vadjust the gears mounted on said jack/shafts, and means Vfor adjusting said sleeves.

2. A motor vehicle axle, comprising a` dead axle member, jack-shafts associated therewith and having driving pinions at their outer endy portions, adiffere-ntial housing mounted on said dead axle member, differential gearing in said housing comprising gears mounted on the inner end portions of said jack-shafts, bearings in said housing for said jack-shafts, sleeves on 'said jack shafts and axially adjustable in said bearings to adjust the gears mounted on said jack shafts, collars mounted fio-axially with said sleeves and having threaded engagement with the end portions yof said housing, said collars being adapted to applyinward pressure to said sleeves, and means for locking said collars against rotation. n

3. A' motor vehicle axle, comprising a` lng mounted on said'dead'axle member, differential gearing in said housing comprising .SO kdead axle member, jack-shafts associatedY gears mounted on theinner end-portions of f said jack-shafts, bearingsin said housing for said jack-shafts, sleeves onpsaid .jack shafts and axially adjustable to adjust the gears mounted on said jack shafts, collars mounted coaxially with said sleeves.L and having threaded engagement with theV end ooi-tions of said housing, radially-disposed ball bearings interposed between said collars and said sleeves, and means for locking said collars against rotation. Y

. l. ,l motor vehicle axlecomprising adead axle member, jack-'shafts associated there-` with and having driving pinions vat theirV outer end portions, 'a differential 'housing mounted on `said dead. axle member, differential gearing in .said housing` comprising gears mounted on theinnerend portionsV of said'jaclr-shafts, roller bearings in said housing for supporting the inner endpoin tionsof said jack-shafts, endwise movableV Y sleeves onsaid jack shafts and abutting against said gears, said sleeves being mountL ed in said roller bearingaand collars fitte-dV on said jaelr-shaft-s'and screwed into the end portions of the housing, said collars-being arranged to apply inward' pressure ltoV said sleeves for 'adjusting gears Ycarried by said jack shafts. Y Y r 5. In Va motor vehicle axle, fthe; combina-V tion with a differential housing havingV an axially disposed opening, of Va drive shaft. extending through said opening int-o' said housing, a bearing in said housing for said shaft, differential gearing vin said Yhousing.

comprising a gear mounted oni said shaft, a collaradjustably mounted in said opening, and means between said colla-r and said-*gear movable endwise independently of said shaft bearing `for effecting adj ustment of; said vgear# by means of said collar. Y Y y V6. In a motorvehicle axle', the combination with a differential housing having any axially disposed opening,fof a drive-shaft extending through. said.' opening intok Vsaid ,tion with a dierential housing having an axially disposed annular flange, of a drive shaft extending through said flange into said housing, a bearing in said housing for said shaft, differential gearing in said housing comprising a gear mounted on said shaft, a collar adjustably mounted in said flange, and means between said collar andk said gear movable endwise independently of said shaft ybearing for effecting adjustment of saidl gear by means of said collar. j

8. In a motor vehicle axle, the combination with a differential housing having an axially disposed opening, of a drive shaft extending through said opening into said housing, a bearing in said housing for said shaft, differential gearing in said housing comprising a gear mounted on said shaft, a

sleeve movable endwise on said shaft through and independently of said shaft bearing and abutting against saidV gear, and

means for moving said sleeve endwise com-V prising a collar adjustably mounted in said opening.

9. In a motor vehicle axle, the combination with a differential housing havingan axially disposed opening, of a drive shaft extending through said opening into said housing, a

bearing in said housing for said shaft, differential gearing in said housing comprising aA gear mounted on said shaft,` a sleeve movable endwise on said shaft through and independently of said shaft bearing and abutting against said gear, means for moving said sleeve endwise comprising a collar adjustably mounted inv saidopening, and an anti-friction bearing between said collar and said sleeve. y Y

10. In a motor vehicle axle the combination with a deadaxle member, a differential housing, and annular bracke'ts rigidly secured to the dead axle member and detachably secured to the end portions of said differential housing, of a jack shaft extending into said differential housing throughone of said brackets, differential gearing ,in said housing comprising a gear mounted on said shaft, a bearing in said housing for said jack A shaft, a collar adjustably fitted in said housing around said shaft within the opening of 'said bracket, and means for effecting the adjustment of said collar.

. 1l. Ina motor vehicle axle, the combination with a dead axle member having lwheel gear by means of said spindles, and a differential housing, of an- Y .y

nularbracketsrigidly secured to and rising from said dead axle member adjacent 'to the central portion thereof and secured to theA end portions of said differential housing,

drive shafts extending through said brackets into said differential housing, driving pinons at therouter end portions of saiddrive y shafts, differential gearing connected with said drive shafts, and means adjustably connected with the end portions-of said differential housing within the openings of said Y brackets for adjusting said differential gearlng.

ROBERT J. BURROWSQ Certificate of Correction.

1t is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,512,402, granted October 21, 1924, upon the application of Robert J. Burrows, of Buchanan, Michigan, for an improvement in Axles for `Motor Vehicles, errors appear in the printed specification requiring corrections as lfollows: Page 2, line 89, claim 3, after the Word adjustable insert the Words in Said bearings; same page, line 113, claim 4, after the Word adjusting insert the article the; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record ot the case in the Patent Oice.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of November, A. D. 1924.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

' Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

